Cal Trans Rat Creek Update

Date:	Thursday, February 18, 2021 at 12:45 pm
District:	05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact:	Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers
Phone:	(805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237

SOUTHERN CLOUSURE OF HIGHWAY 1 TO MOVE NORTH TO BIG CREEK

THIS FRIDAY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

MONTEREY COUNTY – The southern closure of Highway 1, currently in place just north of Pacific Valley at PM 16, will relocate north to the Big Creek Vista Point at PM 27.3 on Friday Feb. 19, at 5 pm. This is three days earlier than originally anticipated.

This will open up an additional 11 miles of the highway on the south side of Rat Creek. 

Once established, the southern turnaround at Big Creek Vista Point at PM 27.3 and the northern turnaround just north of the Lime Creek Bridge at PM 32.1 will serve as the landmark limits for public travel on Highway 1 while repairs are being made at Rat Creek.

In upcoming weeks, these turnarounds will be improved with permanent surfacing and enhanced striping.

Sections of Highway 1 on the approach to these turnarounds will continue to be subject to one way reversing traffic control at various points as cleanup operations continue. Motorists can expect delays of up to 10 minutes.

At Rat Creek, woody debris and debris flow material continue to be hauled out of the upstream basin and is being trucked off site.

Engineering teams continue to study possible repair options. No repair method at Rat Creek has been selected and there is no timeline at present for when that decision might be made.